Star Wars: Lightforce

Chapter 40

The rising sun over the verdant Takodana landscape hit the early morning frost, making it glisten and melt on the ground below as the Falcon flew it's sweeping, rocking path over the terrain.

Chewbacca and Han's long time partnership allowed for their instinctive operation of the controls, knowing what the other was doing at all times, not needing to speak. Han flicked switches, made minor adjustments to controls and silently listened to Leia behind him at the communications console, giving orders and relaying information, efficiently co-ordinating the teams above and below.

He smiled to himself as he listened to her. She liaised with Blake in the castle, swivelling her chair and reaching over to study a holo-map on the console behind her, deeply focused on all teams at once. Her reputation as a formidable leader was widespread but he was used to watching her in the control room, planning their strategy and then allowing her experienced generals to take the lead. She had even followed orders herself when she and Han had gone on missions together, but today, she'd placed her generals in the field and had taken full command of the Alliance, the Falcon turned into her mobile command centre. He loved watching her work. He wouldn't want to be the opposition today.

She placed a hand on his shoulder as she leaned to look out of the view-screen

"No General. Maintain your position." She held her other hand to her earpiece communicator. "I want them to advance first. Commander Blake will inform us when they make a move. All we need to do is drive them toward Luke's team. Once they're in the jungle, you will be afforded more cover." She leant closer to Han. "Stay out of sight for the moment," she instructed. He nodded.

"Got it. I'm flying the trade flight path to Al-Adreen. We'll look like just another cargo freighter," he informed her. She smiled and patted his shoulder, sitting back down. She could always rely on his ingenuity.

"With any luck, we won't have to engage them until the last minute and we can minimise the casualties," she said, almost to herself.

Blake's voice broke into her musing.

"The enemy are on the move, ma'am." Leia didn't even blink at the reference. In a combat situation, it was probably the most appropriate. "The peacekeepers are all in position. They will try to tag the location of the heavier artillery for the air strikes." Leia swung her chair round, hitting her earpiece with a finger.

"General Madine, General Kobar. They're on the move. Wait until they are fully under cover of the jungle and then begin your advance. The peacekeepers will thin out the edges for you. Just make sure they can't retreat." She studied the movements of the troops being relayed to her via Blake's console to her display in the cockpit. "Luke, they're heading your way."

"We're ready," Luke's voice echoed back.

It was a waiting game. Leia sat on the edge of her chair, using her feet to swivel herself as needed, constantly checking data. Blue squadron were flying a holding pattern several miles out, their blinking lights on the console at the far edges of it's range. They would be there in minutes the moment she gave the order.

"How are we doing?" she checked with Han, looking out of the view-screen from her seat. He looked back at her.

"All good. No-one's paying attention to us at the moment. They might wonder why we aren't landing after a few more passes but I'll make something up," he grinned.

She leant forward, forearms resting on her thighs, her flack jacket a snug fit over her camouflage jumpsuit, her hair braid tightly wound round her head. He looked her over.

"What?" She saw his stare.

"You look... prepared." He chose his words carefully. She looked back out of the view-screen, a thin smile on her lips.